From the Ashes
by Gildawraith
Summary: Warning: Very mild T-Cest (Kisses/Cuddles, I DON'T write smut). Don't like this that stuff then please don't read. Setting: 2k3/2k7 Hybrid (2k3 events may not respect tv series order) After the death of Ch'rell, Karai seeks out a new leader for the Foot Clan. Are they ready for what may be their most dangerous enemy yet?
1. Prologue

Karai cautiously approached the figure standing in the shadows. She'd sent three of her Foot to deliver a message, requesting a meeting. Out of them, only one had returned. He had agreed to meet with her under the condition that she come alone, or she would suffer the same consequences as her men. Ch'rell would never have honored such an agreement, but now that he was dead once and for all she was no longer duty-bound. She would honor these conditions. There must always be a Shredder to keep the balance of power, and this was the reason she was in this dark alley. Karai had hoped he would be more honorable than Ch'rell, but she was beginning to have her doubts.

She pushed back her hood, frowning at the figure standing in the shadows. "I do not approve the needless slaughter of my ninja."

He shifted slightly, motioning vaguely behind him before crossing his arms. Karai took a cautious step forward and peered into the shadows, surprised when she found the other two tied up. They appeared as though they'd gone a round or two solo against the monsters currently plaguing the city, but were alive.

"Release my men."

"You alone?"

"I gave you my word." She said, hand near her weapon. "Foot, return to our headquarter's once you've been released, this is a private discussion." She said, directing that bit to the two captured ninjas.

For a moment he simply stood there, his eyes hard and unforgiving with the promise of pain if she tried to betray him. Eventually he gave a curt nod and moved to the tied up ninja, using a knife to cut them free. He crossed his arms as he waited for them to disappear. Once she was certain they were alone she moved closer to him, stopping when he visibly tensed.

"This is a one time offer, I require an answer before I take my leave."

He tilted his head at this, eyes narrowing.

"Leadership of the Foot Clan." She said, evenly meeting his gaze. "You will lead it as you see fit, I ask only a small price in return."

"Always a catch." He said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Become the Shredder."

"No."

Karai raised a hand up as he moved to leave. "Let me finish." She said, eyeing him as he stopped beside her. "You need only wear the armor, how you choose to portray him is at your discretion."

"Why me?"

"With you at it's heart, the Foot Clan will rise from the ashes and be redeemed," She said, eyes hopeful and showing nothing but sincerity. "You will cleanse us and restore our honor," She continued, a hand resting gently on his arm. "And you will have what you desire most, you're true place."

"If I refuse?"

"No harm will come to you and I seek out another."

He sighed and looked at the ground, face set in a thoughtful scowl. It felt like an eternity to her before he finally looked back at her.

"I'll do it."

Karai nodded, pulling out a cellphone from within the folds of the cloak she was wearing. "Keep it hidden on your person, I will message you when everything is ready."

His fist tightened around it as he gave her a firm nod. The moment he did so she dropped to her knees, extending her weapon to him as she lowered herself until her nose nearly touched the ground.

"I shall be both your shield and blade, all that you desire of me. This I swear to you upon my honor, duty-bound till my dying breath." Karai said, raising her eyes to his as he took her weapon. "I am yours to command, my Lord."


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's notes:** I'm using a headcanon in this fic. Their ages from Older-Younger : Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo

* * *

_"__I'm better off callin' my own shots." Raphael snarled as he slowly circled around him. "So get used to it!" He barked, pointing._

_"__You're not ready!" Leo shot back in frustration. "You're impatient, hot-tempered and more importantly," He continued, turning to face him. "I'm better than you."_

_Raphael laughed darkly at that. "Oh, ya know somethin' little brother, I'll have to disagree wit' ya on that one." He snarled, idly twirling his sai as he shifted his stance, looking all the more formidable in his armor._

Leo sighed as he opened his eyes, disturbed from his meditation once again by the recurrent memory. He hadn't wanted to fight, but Raph had forced his hand, and for a time he'd thought he had him on the run. But his red-banded brother had surprised him when he'd managed to focus his rage for a short moment, snapping his katanas in the process.

In a fight against Raphael, you couldn't let your guard down for even a moment. His combat-oriented mind would capitalize on any weakness faster than you could blink. Mikey had been the one to point out a valid fact years ago - if Raph got his hands on you it was game over. The best defense against him was keeping him at bay and use his rage against him. Add in his hair-trigger temper and propensity for berserk frenzies and the stakes went up tenfold.

And that was exactly what had happened. He'd dropped his guard for a moment, shocked that Raph had broken his weapons. The following blow had the red-clad turtle's full strength behind it and he'd gone down. Leo knew the only reason he was alive was because Raph didn't want to kill him.

They had reconciled afterwards, or so Leo had thought. It had been two weeks since they'd defeated the stone generals, since Winter's had died, finally free of his cursed existence. Two weeks since Karai's cryptic message before she'd vanished.

Raph had all but distanced himself from them, keeping to his room. The rare times he was with them he was dark and unreadable, his few words as sharp and painful as blades. During practice he was brutal and relentless, more so than usual.

Eventually Donatello tried to get him to say what was bothering him, being the one Raph spoke with when he was troubled. He'd flown into a rage at that point and the olive turtle's reflexes with his trusty staff were the only thing that kept the thrown wrench from connecting with his head.

Needless to say, he'd chosen not to stick his beak in the hothead's business afterwards. Mikey and Leo also tried, with mixed reactions but no closer to an answer. Splinter had tried and Raph had actually yelled at him then stormed off before their father could recover from the shock. Even Casey couldn't break down the defensive wall he was keeping himself behind and that was previously unheard of.

He heard a grunt and turned to look, finding Raph still weight lifting which he'd been doing more often than usual. He was pushing himself to his limit and refused to have any of them spot for him, which left Leo worried he might hurt himself so he'd begun to meditate whenever he did so.

Gold eyes snapped to him in that moment, his features pulling into a snarl before returning his attention to his workout. Leo sighed, feeling like everyday that went by they were loosing their brother and he had no clue why.

Raph suddenly grimaced and put his weight back, sweat beading on his emerald skin. But that wasn't what worried him. Raph was pressing his hand against his plastron, directly over his obi, looking like he was about to be sick.

Leo got up and caught Raph's arm just as he was walking past. "Raph, are you alright? Should I get Donnie?"

All he got for the effort was a snarl as the hothead wrenched his arm out of his grasp.

"Please, I'm worried about you, we all are." Leo said, grabbing his arm again. "We're here for you, don't push us away like this."

He should have sensed it coming, but his worry was clouding his judgement. One second Raph tensed and the next Leo was lying on the floor with a split lip. Raph didn't say anything, the fiery intensity in his gold eyes leaving Leo speechless. With a growl he turned and stomped off, his hand still pressed to his plastron.

_"__He's about to blow," _Leo thought, getting to his feet and using the wall for support. _"And it's not going to be pretty."_

—

Raph slammed his door shut, locking it to make sure no one would come in, though they usually knew better than to barge into his room. He moved to his hammock and sat in it, pulling out the cellphone he had hidden in his obi.

**"****Speed dial 1 when it is prudent."**

He padded silently to his door, turning off the light so he could see if someone was standing outside his door. Raph sat on the smaller bench press he kept in his room to be as far as possible from it, eyes locked on the sliver of light as he pressed the proper button.

_"__We need a plan to get you away." _The feminine voice told him the moment the line picked up.

"Patrol tonight, I'll stay behind an' sneak out after they leave."

_"__What of your Sensei?"_

"I'll worry 'bout that later. Same place, midnight. Alley, avoid da roofs."

_"__Understood."_

Raph sighed and slipped the phone back under his obi, tightening it to make sure it didn't fall out as he lay down in his hammock, staring restlessly at the ceiling. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when there was a tentative knock at his door. He ignored it, only to frown when whoever it was tried to open the door, when that didn't work they knocked again.

"Raph?"

Grumbling he stalked to the door, wrenching it open with a scowl on his face. Donatello's eyes traveled him over from head to foot before gazing solemnly at him.

"Leo told me you may not be feeling well." He said, pressing his fingers together.

"M'fine."

"He said you might be hurt."

Raph narrowed his eyes a little and the genius fidgeted. "Ain' been sleepin' good." He muttered, gazing directly at him. "Just feelin' a little under da weather, ya know?" He continued, crossing his arms. "Gonna sit out patrol tonight an' get some sleep."

His brothers thought they could read him like an open book, the truth was they read what he wanted them to, there was a lot he'd kept hidden from them over the years. Mikey was the one he had to work the hardest to trick.

Most likely because Raph had always been overprotective of the youngest and they spent a lot of time together growing up. The ever cheerful turtle was surprisingly observant, seemingly having a nose for emotions and an eye for body language.

But that bond went two ways. Raph could tell when Mikey was moping even when there was the ever bright smile on his face. The big brother in him always did everything in his power to get his baby brother out of his funks.

So when Leonardo had made a move on Mikey, his defensive nature had shifted into overdrive. Raph had eventually relented when he'd come to the conclusion that Mikey was truly happy. If Leo made Mikey happy, then that was fine in his book.

Donnie tilted his head at this a little. "Are you certain?"

"Yeah."

"I'll inform Leo." He said, smiling and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Leave your door unlocked, I'll check on you before we head out."

"I ain' a damn baby Donnie!" He snapped, brushing off his hand which earned him a hurt look from the other turtle.

"Please?" He asked softly.

They'd been together for nearly two years and Donnie knew how to get the softie out of him. Raph was fairly certain no one knew they were mates. If Mikey did, then he'd been keeping it to himself and acting none the wiser. Leaving Donatello behind made his plan all the more painful, so he'd been giving him the cold shoulder as of late.

The protector in him couldn't stand it anymore. One day he wouldn't be able to save someone. He would go to absolutely any length to keep them all safe, and if that meant leaving his family to take command of the Foot, then so be it. What better way to keep his family safe than having an army of ninja at his command?

And if they ended up hating him for it, then so be it. Raph would pay any price to keep them safe. He'd give away his life and loose their love without a shred of hesitation. No price would ever be too great for their safety. Raph would rather have them hate him and know they were alive, than live his life knowing he'd failed at protecting even a single one of them.

"Fine." He growled, crossing his arms, his face as cold as stone.

Raph could at least give his mate one last chance to fret over him, it was the least he could do.

"Thanks Raphie." He replied, smiling at him.

"Whateva'." He mumbled, closing his door and flopping down in his hammock again.

Raph waited until he saw the other's shadow leave then slipped the phone out. He fiddled around with it until he found what he wanted, setting the alarm then slipped it back in its place before turning off the alarm clock near his hammock.

_"__May as well get some sleep then, Donnie would notice if I'm fakin' it." _He thought, settling in a comfortable position and closing his eyes. _"Don' ever forget my promise, Donnie."_


	3. Chapter 2

Donatello nearly leapt out of his shell when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Leo whispered forcefully, eyeing the door with trepidation. "He'll rip your head off if he catches you in his room."

"I convinced him to let me check on him before we left." Donnie said, glancing over his shoulder.

Leo's eye ridges went up at this. "He said yes?" He asked, not bothering to hide the surprise from his voice.

"Well his exact response was _fine _but it equates to the same." Donnie replied with a soft chuckle.

Leo let out a puff of air at this. "I don't know how you do it Donnie." He said, shaking his head with a grin. "If one turtle can make our big brother cave, it's you."

"Certainly not the case a few weeks ago." Donnie said, frowning a little. "It was fortunate I identified the moment he snapped."

Leo crossed his arms and glanced at the door. "Do you really think this will help?" He asked, gesturing towards the room.

"Lack of proper sleep can easily make someone irritable." Donnie said, tilting his head. "Consider how Raph is perpetually in that state of mind." He gave a slight shrug. "I don't think I need to elaborate further."

"I see your reasoning." Leo said, patting his shoulder. "We'll be waiting downstairs."

Donnie nodded then carefully opened the door, cautiously stepping inside and leaving it open so he could see the floor. Raph kept his room somewhat tidy, but his ever shifting minefield of weights was a veritable death trap.

"I hope you're back to normal soon." He whispered, leaning down and softly kissing his forehead. "I love you."

He pulled back only to freeze when Raph twisted in his hammock, eyes opening a little to look up at him. "Love ya too."

"I know." He said, placing a hand on his forehead as he smiled down at him. "Get some sleep." Donnie said softly, tucking a blanket around broad shoulders.

Raph nuzzled his hand a little before shifting to get comfortable again, letting an arm dangle on the side which caused Donnie to chuckle. He never did understand how Raph could feel content when he was in such uncomfortable looking positions. Probably the worst of them being when all four limbs were hanging off the sides which was a common sight.

It was nice to see Raph being somewhat affectionate, considering how emotionally distant he'd been after Leo's departure to South America, at least after he'd failed to return when he was supposed to. Donnie didn't hold it against him though, knowing it was just the big brother instincts that had kicked into overdrive. Once Leo came back, shit hit the fan so to speak, and Donnie found himself wallowing in regret when the Nightwatcher's identity was revealed. It was expected considering he had quite literally insulted his mate to his face without even knowing it. He quietly made his way back, closing the door softly behind him before joining his awaiting brothers for their nighttime patrol.

A few moments later gold eyes snapped open and Raph carefully padded to his door, unerringly avoiding the weights, pressing his ear against it. He waited until he heard the lair door close and then silently moved over to his cabinet, opening it and eyeing the items inside.

_"Way to pull my heartstrings Donnie." _He thought with a frown as he grabbed a few necessary items, including his favorite knife he'd acquired during his time as the armored vigilante.

It had belonged to a Purple Dragon and it was a lovely thing indeed. The handle had a coiled dragon reminiscent of their signature tattoo, and the blade had a serrated edge. Raph had taken a liking to it instantly and had taken it after having given the thug a beat down to remember him by. He kept it on his person when he left the lair, usually strapped to his left thigh, but sometimes on his upper arm instead, whatever appealed to him at any given moment. Leo had voiced his disapproval of the weapon, but had otherwise left the subject alone when it was clear he wasn't going to relinquish it without a fight.

Raph continued to eye the items inside until the phone hidden in his obi finally vibrated. He pulled it out and turned off the alarm as he moved to his door, hiding it once more. Carefully he opened it, eyeing his surroundings for a moment before slipping out and closing it with care. Keeping to the deepest shadows he silently crept down the stairs, making his way silently towards the lair entrance.

"Raphael?"

_"Damn turtle luck." _Raph turned to face his father, slipping his shell cell out even as a thought occurred to him.

"Why are you sneaking out of the lair?" Splinter inquired, both hands set on his walking stick.

"Can't sleep no more. Was tryin' not ta wake ya." He said, looking at his phone. "Gonna meet wit' the guys an' finish patrol wit' em."

Splinter eyed him for a moment and Raph met his searching gaze evenly. "Very well, but be prudent until you find them."

"Yeah, yeah, stick to the shadows an' all that." Raph said impatiently. "Can I go now?"

"You may." Splinter replied, shaking his head as he made his way back to his room. "But contact your brothers and have them meet with you." He added, turning to regard him again.

"Sure." Raph said, bringing the shell cell to his ear as he left the lair, only to tuck it away the moment he was safely out of sight. _"No can do, pops."_

He took off at a brisk run, ducking in and out of various sewer tunnels he knew like the back of his hand. Eventually he made it to the manhole he wanted and went up, pushing the cover a little and peeking out before cautiously leaving its safety. He crouched as he replaced the cover, his eyes darting everywhere. Raph made a quick hand motion once he was satisfied and Karai slipped out of the shadows.

"You had no problems I suspect?" She asked as she came up to him, resting a hand on his arm.

Raph grabbed her wrist in a death grip. "M'not a touchy feely kinda guy." He growled with narrowed eyes.

"I understand, my Lord." She said, rubbing her wrist once he let her go.

"Pops caught me sneakin' out, told 'im I was meetin' wit' the guys." Raph said, ignoring her and eyeing his surroundings, head tilted as he thought. "Speakin' of that, we're goin' to the docks."

"Why?"

Raph took off at a run, forcing her to follow. "Yer goin' ta love this." He said, smirking at her over his shoulder.

They ran on for a few blocks, occasionally darting into alleys and taking stock of their surroundings. Karai checking out their surroundings from the ground while Raphael would creep up a fire escape and take stock of the rooftops. Eventually Raph came to a stop in front of a store and she molded herself against the building.

"Keep an eye open for trouble." He growled, turning to the locked door of the store. "I won't be long."

She nodded as he broke open the lock with his weapon. Raph spotted two cameras as he peered inside and with practiced ease he tossed two smoke pellets before dashing inside. A display case caught his attention and he smashed it open, snatching two pistols and stuffing them in his belt. The lock on the ammunition cabinet stood little chance against his methods and he hastily took the necessary rounds.

"I hear sirens." Karai called softly from the door.

Raph came to stand beside her, listening intently before heading to a nearby manhole and moving it aside. He tilted his head towards it and she nodded and leapt down and he followed, replacing the cover. He immediately sprinted when his feet touched the ground, glancing periodically over his shoulder to make sure she was still following.

"Where are we going?" She asked when he suddenly darted into another tunnel and she was hard pressed to keep up.

"I told ya, the docks." He growled, his face beginning to show his annoyance.

"Why the guns then?" She asked, unaware that she was beginning to grate on his nerves. "It makes no sense."

Raph turned suddenly with a snarl and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the sewer wall with his face inches from hers. "Did I ask for your opinion?" He inquired, brushing the tip of a sai below her eye.

"No, my Lord."

"Then keep yer trap shut," He snarled, stabbing the sai into the wall inches from her head. "...or else." He finished in a warning tone.

Karai's eyes darted to the weapon only inches away. Reflexively her mouth opened to respond before she snapped it shut again only moments before an utterance could sneak its way past.

A devilish grin was her reward. "Good girl." Raph purred as he turned away.

Karai pushed some hair behind her ear before closing her eyes, taking a steadying breath.

"Move!" Raph snapped, jolting her back to attention. "We don' have all night."


	4. Chapter 3

The pair of them crept forward silently, sticking to the shadows as they kept an eye open for signs that people might be loading the waiting cargo on the moored ships. Eventually Raph motioned for her to stay behind and crept to the edge of the loads, pressing his shell against one and cautiously looked past the corner, sweeping his gaze to each side.

"Coast is clear!" Raph called as he slipped out from among the stacked crates, eyeing his surroundings.

Raph watched Karai out of the corner of his eye as she moved to stand beside him, clearing his throat to get her attention. "Shouldn' have blown at ch'ya," He mumbled, not making eye contact.

"I should not question your orders." She replied, looking down. "It is not my place."

He shook his head at that. "M'just edgy, so speak yer mind. I'll try not ta snap again." Raph replied, glancing at her. "Won' do fer my right hand man ta be afraid of me."

At this her head shot up in surprise. "You honor me." She said with a deep bow.

"I'd be an idiot not ta," He rumbled, eyes narrowing as he gazed at the river. "You know the Foot better than I do."

"I assure you, this will change in time."

He gave a curt nod and turned towards the cargo and tore off his mask. There was a distinct tightness around his jaw as it clenched, looking down at the red fabric he'd worn for most of his life. Karai could almost see the invisible battle he was having and hesitantly reached out to touch his arm, despite his earlier warning.

"The Foot Clan belongs to you now, your family can join if you wish it," She said quietly, feeling him tense under her touch. "You do not have to hide from them."

Raph turned his head to regard her and for a moment she thought he would finally see reason. She'd been trying to convince him during their secret meetings. Karai knew that keeping this from his family wasn't a wise decision, but trying to convince him was proving difficult. Teaching ninjutsu to a rock would have been easier she eventually surmised, not to mention less frustrating.

"They'd never understand," He replied, pulling out one of the guns. "Especially Leo."

She tightened her grip on his arm. "Your father will."

Karai didn't expect the sudden flash of anger in his eyes and took a cautious step back, releasing his arm. "Just a failure ta him." Raph snarled, gripping the gun tightly.

She remained silent, afraid of saying anything when it was clear his temper was beginning to get the upper hand, again. This was almost how he looked seconds before he went berserk and killed her father. She had always known he could be dangerous when needed, something she had instinctively felt the moment she had met his gaze. Her first impression had been that of a protector, one not afraid to kill or die if necessary. Seeing him fighting Ch'rell in his advanced armor after being badly injured had only solidified that feeling.

His own safety completely forgotten, Raph had readily placed himself in harm's way to protect his brothers and father. Raphael's eyes had reminded her of a predator, feral and focused on nothing else. Karai let her gaze drift to his plastron, cracked when her father had finally managed to pin him to the wall. His only mistake had been to taunt Raphael and not kill him outright. Though she had been honor-bound to kill him, something unforeseen had surfaced and revoked her obligation to do so. She would show him once they returned to the base, he deserved to know.

"What?" He asked, raising an eye ridge at her.

Karai looked back up at him. "I was thinking, forgive me."

"Ya can do that later, we've got work ta do." He muttered, tossing her the gun.

"What is the plan?" She asked, watching him shove a clip into the second gun.

Raph grinned at her. "Da mob owns some of these docks. Gonna create a little…distraction for my brothers. Make 'em think I got caught by 'em." He continued, turning and sprinting down the docks.

Karai closed her eyes with a sigh. "He will be the death of me." She mumbled before following him.

—

"Dudes, if I'd known there'd be no trouble I woulda stayed home and played my new game!" Mikey said with a childish pout.

Donnie chuckled softly and shook his head. "Then how would Raph get any sleep?"

"We all know sleep ain't what Raphie-boy needs." Mikey said, slinging an arm across Donnie's shoulder. "He just needs to blow some sexual tension." He continued with a wink. "You'd be perfect for him!"

"Mikey!" Donnie shouted, shoving his baby brother away.

"Come on bro, don't be like that." He continued, ignoring his brother's rising discomfort. "I mean, Leo and I are together. I'll bet my entire comic collection that he's jealous."

"Mikey, leave Don alone." Leo said, tugging his mate away from the increasingly flustered genius. "If Raph has any interest he would have made his move already."

"Maybe he's shy."

"Raphael? He doesn't even bother closing the door when he's taking a whizz!" Leo replied, arching a brow ridge at him. "I'll stab myself with my katana if he is."

There was an audible groan from Mikey. "Gee, thanks bro! I'm gonna have nightmares for sure now!" He exclaimed with as much theatrics as he could.

Leo nuzzled his neck. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

"I'll totally forgive you if I can top tonight!" Mikey shouted with a wink.

Leo smirked at him. "We'll see."

Donnie palmed his face with a groan. "I certainly didn't need to know this." He mumbled almost plaintively.

"Sorry bro, got a little carried away." Mikey replied with a sheepish grin.

"You don't say." He mumbled curtly.

Just as they were about to turn the last bend before the lair all their shell cells suddenly went off with a shrill whistling noise.

Leo moved over to Donnie. "What's going on?" He asked, not liking the worried look on his face.

"It's the distress signal I installed." Donnie mumbled, looking at his cell in alarm. "It's coming from Raph's."

Leo's brow creased in worry at that news, Raph asking for help usually meant it was bad. "Wait, I thought he was at the lair?"

"He must have woken up and knowing him run into trouble."

"More like went looking for it." Leo grumbled with a dark look, missing the scathing glare Donnie sent him. "Where?"

"The docks."

"Let's hurry."

Donnie stayed slightly behind the pair, glancing periodically at his cell as he worried at his lower lip. Eventually they exited through one of the manholes nearest to the signal and crept quietly, staying to the shadow of the building.

"Lookit what I found boss."

Leo cautiously peered around a corner of the warehouse, his eyes narrowing when he saw one of the thugs holding up Raph's mask. It didn't escape his notice that part of the fabric was a darker red than usual.

"Whatever happened, Raph's been wounded." He whispered over his shoulder.

Donnie nearly scrambled over him and peered around the corner as well. His eyes scanned the area, hissing and pointing when he caught sight of their hotheaded brother's shell cell lying a little ways off, the screen cracked and blood covering the device.

Leo growled softly, drawing his katanas. "Mikey."

The sea green turtle just nodded and rushed off, heading towards the other side of the building. Moments later there was noise and some of the thugs went in that direction to investigate. As this happened Leo and Donnie crept out of hiding and made quick work of subduing the others. Mikey eventually came over, dragging the other thugs along and tossing them with the rest, all traces of his carefree nature gone. It was a rare sight to see him like this and Donnie could practically count on one hand how often it had happened. The look on Leo's face though, was the truly troubling one.

Leo stood in front of them, mask held tightly in one hand while he gripped a katana in the other. "Where's my brother?" He asked, a slight edge marring his otherwise calm tone.

Raph and Leo were like night and day, yet more similar than either of them would ever care to admit. After Ch'rell's fall, Leo had shown a much darker side of his personality, triggered by the near loss of his family. Raph's temper had mellowed out then, surprising them when he even tried to talk some sense into him. Predictably Leo's newfound anger had reared its head and Raph had reacted in kind, showing that although he'd been keeping his temper in check for their sake it had simmered just under the surface. Splinter had been forced to send Leo away for training after he'd nearly skewered his brother.

The one he was talking to just spat at the ground, directly on Leo's foot. He glanced down almost casually but when he looked up Donnie swore he saw a hint of Raphael's temper in the storm grey eyes. Leo growled softly and hauled the thug up, resting the katana against his neck.

"You seem to think I'm giving you a choice, so I'll ask again," He said cooly. "Where is he?"

"I ain't tellin' ya nothin'."

His mouth thinned as he turned his shell to the thug, hand tightening on his blade. He turned sharply with a growl, swinging the blade at the man's neck. It was a testament to his training when he stopped the blade a hairbreadth away from the man's throat. The man's legs seemed to turn into jelly then and Donnie had to help the man stay on his feet.

"H-He went that way!" The thug shouted, pointing frantically. "Ran off after Tony shot 'im."

Donnie's breath caught in his throat and he tightened his grip, ignoring the pained grunt from the mobster. Leo made a quick hand motion and Donnie shoved the man towards Mikey, who quickly tied him up with the rest of them.

Leo crouched in front of them, eyes narrowed. "You better pray that we find him _alive_." He growled, getting up and motioning for his brothers to follow.

* * *

**AN: **Hello everyone! Sorry for the long wait. I'm raising the rating of this story to M since 1. I'm paranoid and 2. It's still a bit of a ways, but things are going to get much uglier later.


	5. Chapter 4

"Was getting shot part of your plan?" She asked, gazing at the gauze as they navigated the tower.

"No, but it got me the same results." He snarled with a glare. "More bloody than I wanted though."

"There is still time to salvage the situation." Her fingers brushed across the gauze with a frown. "Your brothers might think you're dead."

A look of concern crossed his features for a moment before he shrugged. "They'll be fine so just drop it, an' quit being a mother hen!" He snapped, brushing her hand away.

"Your protection and well-being are my responsibility, whether you agree or not."

He looked up at the ceiling with a huff. "I'm bein' punished aren' I?"

"Am I truly so horrible?"

"No…I just don' like bein' fussed over."

"I suggest you get used to it."

"Yer not helpin'."

Karai turned down a hall and he followed closely. "We should get your shoulder properly tended."

"Let's just get this shit over wit'." Raph growled, watching the scurrying ninjas with a weary eye. "My shoulder can wait."

Karai gave a defeated sigh and turned sharply back the way they'd come. They passed what Raph assumed was the meeting hall where many of the men had gathered and spoke among themselves and he suddenly felt his gut twist. Did he really have what it took?

She frowned when she noticed the dark look on his features. "What troubles you?"

"Nothin'."

She eyed him skeptically for a moment, deciding it was best to let him talk on his own terms seeing as he didn't seem very receptive - something that was quickly becoming predictable. They continued in silence and the only thing they met were several men heading for the meeting hall. A few eyed Raphael as they did so and when he looked back towards them he found some whispering, others would turn back quickly when he caught them staring.

"Don' think they agree wit' yer decision." He said as he moved to walk beside her.

"I have not told them." She replied as they came to a door, quickly pressing a sequence on the keypad. "I believe Dr. Chaplin suspects something, though his loyalty is without question."

As they entered Karai motioned to the bench in the room and he sat down, eyeing the black fabric folded neatly beside him. As she disappeared into another small room he picked up the fabric, rolling it between his fingers. It felt soft and cool to his touch, not at all scratchy or unpleasant as he'd initially thought it would and he quickly slipped it on. Karai came back from the adjoining room just as he was finishing and she knelt before him, placing the armor on the bench beside him, the helmet resting atop.

"Black an' red?"

"In honor of new beginnings." She replied, carefully setting aside all the various parts of the armor. "As instructed by my father, the armor resembles that used by the first leaders." Finally she took one of the boots in her hands and raised her eyes to him. "If I may?"

Raph eyed the armor once more before giving a firm nod, trying to ignore the nausea he was suddenly feeling. Karai became deathly serious and carefully slid the boot on, and it took every ounce of self-control he had not to shove his foot into it. She did the same to the other before tightening straps hidden underneath the decorative fabric.

"You will have to stand for the rest."

He stood up from the bench, experimentally shifting his weight from foot to foot as he watched her undo some cleverly concealed clasps on one side of the armor. Her measurements had been spot on and they felt as natural on his feet as the Nightwatcher ones had before. Carefully she put the lower half of the armor around his waist where his belt would have been, tightening another strap hidden under the red fabric until he gave her a confirming nod it would hold.

Karai moved behind him with the top part and a curious glance showed him a curved edge that fit snugly on the topmost rim of his shell, holding it in place as she moved in front of him again, lifting his arms so they were out to his side. "It's designed so you can put it on yourself," she explained as she swung the front over his plastron, locking the clasps back as she did. "Without having to rely on others to help you each time."

"What are these for?" Raph asked, trailing a finger along the ridges near the neckline.

She smiled at this and motioned for him to lower his arms. "You shall see, soon enough." Was her reply, slipping metal plates on his upper arms to help protect them, then the bladed ones for his forearms. "One set of blades for each hand, per your request." She said, finally putting the trademark weapons on his hands.

Raph smirked as he admired the lethal claws while Karai picked something up from the bench. The fluttering sound of fabric caught his attention and he looked over, eyes roaming over the black fabric and the red symbol at its center. Golden eyes trailed back to her, head tilted in curiosity as Karai stepped up to him and he sat down again. Moments later she pulled the fabric over his shoulders, taking care to avoid the sharp blades and tucked the fabric beneath the front edge of his armor before adjusting the material to better cover the ridges.

"They are mostly for show, but will also serve to protect you from attacks." She explained, taking the helmet in her hands. "The cape is to help further hide that you are not human."

As Karai was about to place the helmet Raph gripped her arms, eyes locking with her own. "What if yer makin' a mistake?" His worries were finally rearing their head, and the question flew from his lips before he could stop himself.

Carefully she set the helm back down and turned towards a screen, inserting a small disk. Karai turned back to him as she pressed a button and it came to life with Ch'rell glaring back at him.

_"Raphael, if you are viewing this recording then it means I am no more. You wonder, perhaps, why I chose one of my enemies to lead the Foot and not my daughter? That you stand here now, donning the mantle of the Shredder is a testament. Karai was given a choice, either to assume my place or offer you leadership. It shows that she trusts in my judgement. You will not disappoint, of this we are certain." _

_"__It is your meddling in the past that created the Clan after all. The Foot have always been fierce, undaunted to get their hands dirty when necessary; these traits stem from you. Your family does not understand. Splinter dishonors you by forgoing tradition and giving leadership to Leonardo, simply for the fact that you do not adhere to his ideals. There is more than one way to become a great leader. You are the core of the clan, the one true Shredder. The symbol will lead you to the answers...when you are ready."_

All was silent as the screen went blank, the telltale symbol a stark contrast to the dark color it rested upon. Crimson like the mask he wore most of his life and now part of his armor; it appealed to him. Karai was holding the helmet once again when he looked back, her once stern features calm and understanding. Raph took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he lowered himself to one knee, angling his head down as he did. She padded softly to him and reverently placed the helm on his head before taking a step back. Raph remained that way for a moment before rising in one fluid motion and Karai brought a hand to her shoulder and bowed.

Raph carefully crossed his arms. "Yer gonna have ta show me da ropes. Ain't like pops ever bothered ta teach me how ta be in charge." He finished bitterly.

"Of course, but for now let's introduce you to the clan."

Karai turned and walked out of the room, a devious smile on her lips once her back was to him. If his tone was any indicator then Ch'rell had been right, and now she simply had to nurture these feelings Raphael had left to fester over the years. The look on the turtles faces as their very own brother cut them down one by one would be sweet revenge, but not as sweet as turning Raphael into a ruthless leader worthy of his new title. She was honor-bound to serve, but that didn't mean she couldn't help mold him into the perfect weapon to continue her father's legacy.

Raph felt emboldened in the armor as he followed Karai through the now empty halls, straightening his stance and squaring his shoulders. He remained behind when she motioned for him to stay and he watched her go through another door, listening to the chatter of the hundreds of ninja on the other side.

Karai walked across the stage to stand before those assembled. "I have led in our Master's stead since his death, but the time has come for another to lead."

At this, the entire room erupted into murmurs as everyone began to chatter at once, stopping only when Karai motioned sharply with a stern glare.

"It is with great honor that I introduce our new Lord and Master!" Karai said, sweeping an arm towards the door she had entered from. "The Shredder!"

Raphael emerged from where he'd been waiting, coming to stand near her and let the chatter go on as he gazed at those gathered, secretly relishing in their excitement. He raised a hand, the blades catching the light and they instantly stopped talking, some even stretching in the hopes of getting a better view.

"I won't hide da truth from ya, like Ch'rell did." He said, removing his helmet and tucking it under his arm so they could get a good look.

There were several hushed whispers when he revealed his identity, which stopped abruptly when he gave them a piercing look. "If anyone has a problem with me being top dog, ya know where da door is." He rumbled, pointing towards the back of the room. "Don' let it hit ch'ya on the way out."

"I won' stop ya." He continued, turning to regard the Foot symbol on the screen behind him. "Won't come after ya either." He snarled as he turned to face them again, clenching a fist as his cape fanned out behind him from the movement. "But get in my way or cause me trouble, an' I won't hesitate ta have ya taken out." Raph continued with narrowed eyes. "An' anyone who so much as touches my family, I'll deal with _personally_."

"Once ya make yer decision there ain't no turnin' back, so choose wisely."

They talked among themselves for several minutes, but in the end it was Dr. Chaplin standing in the front of the mass who knelt first and it was like a wave as the rest followed in his wake.

"All hail the Shredder!" Karai shouted from where she stood at his side, and they repeated her call in unison.

Raphael put the helmet back on to hide his pleased smirk, leaving only the sharp gleam of his eyes visible.


	6. Chapter 5

Leo sighed as he gazed across the rooftops. Six months since Raphael had vanished, and not a single night went by that they hadn't been searching for him. To their knowledge, the gangs hadn't gotten their hands on him. Leo reached out and touched Donnie's shoulder and the olive turtle just gave him a forlorn stare before turning away from the both of them. A few months after Raphael's disappearance, Donnie had come into Leo's room while Mikey was with him; in tears. Seeing the genius so distraught had made them uneasy and they'd pulled him into bed with them. Of course Mikey had taken it upon himself to make him feel better, giving a hug and nuzzling gently. It was something he'd been doing since they'd been tots. Even Raph would occasionally humor him, though it was usually short lived.

That was when Donnie had come clean, that Raph and him were mates for a few years before Leo had left for South America. To say he was shocked was an understatement, but seeing the same look mirrored on Mikey's face was even more astonishing. It wasn't really a surprise with Donnie, he was good at keeping secrets. Raph on the other hand, undoubtedly the most passionate and emotional of them, had managed to dupe even Mikey. Not to mention the fact he'd become the Nightwatcher without his brothers finding out. It made Leo uneasy and he'd been wondering what other secrets Raph might have been keeping right under their noses.

Splinter was distraught over his missing son, but was adamant that Raphael was still alive and that they do everything in their power to find him. Leo had always trusted his father's wisdom, so if Splinter said Raphael was alive then he was. They just had to find a lead.

"Leo!"

The sword wielder turned to look at Mikey then let his gaze slide in the direction he was pointing. He sucked in a breath when he caught the silhouette on the street below, the dark figure undoubtedly heading towards the nearby Foot tower.

"How? Raph killed him." Came the soft voice to his left as Donnie came to stand beside him.

"I don't know Donnie, but I think I know what happened to Raphael." Leo replied, eyes narrowed at the Shredder below them.

Mikey pulled out his nunchucks, nestling them under his arms in his preferred ready position. "What's the plan?"

For a moment Leo watched, gazing at the many rooftops surrounding them. They'd have to be quick, before their nemesis could reach the tower. "Ch'rell's armor shorts out when the head is taken off, temporarily at least." He mused, remembering their first meeting when he'd cut the head clean off his shoulders; before they'd known it was a robotic body. "I'm going to jump him and sever the head then you two pin him down before it reboots."

They both nodded and followed close on his heels when he ran across the roof and leapt silently to the next. Eventually he spotted the perfect moment to strike and leapt off, using the skills he'd honed back in South America to swing down effortlessly from the clotheslines. Leo used the last one to vault himself onto the street, landing with nary a sound, a katana already drawn before his feet touched the ground. It wasn't silent enough as the Shredder turned, the cape spreading behind him from the swift movement. Leo adjusted his swing when he realized that this suit was taller than he remembered. When his katana met resistance he gave a swift kick to push the Shredder back before he could retaliate, then lunged in quickly. The tip drove into the neck area and he jerked upwards, fully intending to tear off the head instead.

It had the intended effect and the helmet went flying, but what he didn't expect was seeing dark emerald skin in the process. Leo jerked back in shock when Raphael staggered backwards with a hand pressed over his left eye, likely as much from trying to avoid the attack as the pain of having his face sliced into.

"Fuck!" Raph yelled, grimacing as he pulled his hand away, keeping the eye shut. "Thanks for da warning, Fearless." He growled, doing his best to glare with only one eye.

Leo's mouth thinned visibly with anger as he sheathed his katana, marching right up to his taller brother. "Nightwatcher was one thing, but betraying your family and joining the Foot? I mean come on!"

Raph bristled at the accusation, baring his teeth in a snarl. "Betray you!?" He spat as he gave his brother a shove, mindful of the claws as he did so. "I did this for you guys, to keep you safe."

"Oh cut the bullshit Raph, you did this for yourself." Leo retaliated, glaring at his older brother. "You've always been jealous of my position."

Raphael gave a dark laugh at that. "Typical, you never did listen ta me when I had something ta say."

"That's because you never make sense!" Leo spat back at him, rubbing at his face in frustration. "You're not ready to lead, that's why Splinter chose me."

"Karai says I'm doing just fine."

Leo groaned and rolled his eyes. "She's using you Raph! For once in your life use that thick skull of yours and think!" There was a quick flash of hurt in the lone golden gaze before the impenetrable mask was back up, had he just imagined it? "Just stop this nonsense and come back home and we'll pretend this never happened. I won't even tell Sensei." He promised quietly, knowing his brother had developed an unease towards their father; something Donatello had informed him about.

There was a tense silence as the two eyed each other, as though sizing each other up. "No."

The blue banded turtle's stance stiffened visibly, his gaze suddenly as cold as a winter's night. "Is this your final decision?"

Raphael didn't bother to answer, simply crossing his arms over his armored chest with a defiant expression.

Leo glanced over as Donatello stormed past him, marching right up to Raphael. Despite the blood flowing down his face and the pain he must have been in, Raph's expression visibly softened. "Donnie, lemme expla-"

Raph's words cut off abruptly with a grunt as Donnie slapped him on his blind side, ignoring the fresh wave of pain it caused in the process. The armored turtle didn't bother reacting to the second one either. On the third though, his arm came up to block and Donnie injured himself on the sharp blades that dotted his forearm. With a hiss he snatched his arm back with a glare.

"I thought you were dead!" Donnie yelled, his usual calm demeanor gone.

"Donnie I-"

"Don't you try and butter me up!" Donnie cut in, jabbing at his brother's chest angrily. "You were a nightmare to deal with during your stint as the Nightwatcher, but this is going too far Raph. Six months...six months I thought you were dead!" He spat venomously, fishing inside his obi and tossing something small at Raphael's feet before turning and storming off. "It's over." He threw over his shoulder, angrily shoving a manhole cover aside and leaping into the sewers below.

Leo glared at him before turning his back to him. "Let's go Mikey."

The sea green turtle fidgeted on the spot, looking between the two elder turtles. "What about Raphie?"

"He's made his choice, and I've made mine." Leo growled, glaring at the youngest. "We're going home, that's an order."

Mikey hesitated for a moment before he lowered his head and followed his brothers, hopping down into the manhole Leo was standing next too. Raph crouched down and picked up the item at his feet, turning his hand so he could look at the bauble. He'd carved the small charm from a piece of driftwood, painted it red and added a flowing purple D in the center of its shell. That had been how he'd asked Donnie to be his mate. He'd even gone down on one knee and offered it to him, like the humans who offered a wedding band to their partner. The bright smile, followed by the crushing hug had been answer enough. That night had been all passion, tender words and promises. Raph sighed and carefully placed it under the material of his belt before returning his attention to Leonardo.

"If I ever see you near _my_ family or the lair wearing that outfit, I won't stay my blade."

A snarl curled his lip back as Raph narrowed his eye. "Fine."

Raphael turned on his heels and walked over to his discarded helmet, stooping down to collect it even as Leonardo vanished into the sewers and roughly shoved it back on, hissing as the metal scraped against the injury. The tower being nearby was only a small comfort as he made his way towards it, knowing full well he was going to be in a world of pain once he calmed down. Being out in the open when it did was not something he was willing to risk, considering the enemies he had. As he neared, one of the guards posted rushed inside. Probably to tell Karai that he was returning, having moodily stormed off earlier.

The other dutifully held the door open for him with a bow and he fully intended to storm past. Though painless, the unexpected jolt as his shoulder struck the other door sent him staggering off balance and he only narrowly caught himself on the wall with a hand rather than his head. A glance showed him two deep gouges where his claws had struck, and he found himself musing how dangerous having a set on each hand really was. Had one of his soldiers been standing nearby, he probably would have killed them. He was obviously going to have to think of an alternative. Rehearsing the events that had transpired moments ago only made his blood boil and by the time he finally payed attention to his surroundings he was in the meeting hall and he yanked off his helmet, lobbing it across the room with a furious shout.

Karai jerked aside in time to avoid it, flinching slightly when it connected with the wall beside her. She crouched down to pick it up, eyeing Raphael wearily as she did so, noting the obviously stiff posture even with his back turned to her. From the looks of things, he hadn't noticed she was there. Clearly his time alone hadn't alleviated whatever dark mood he'd been in when he left. Green eyes shot down in surprise when she felt something wet and she snatched her fingers out of the helmet.

"What happened?" She asked, eyeing the blood coating her fingers as she walked over to him.

Raphael turned around with a startled grunt and her eyes flew wide when she saw the gash. Wordlessly she dropped the helmet on a nearby chair before guiding him to another. The moment he was sitting she gently tilted his head up a little to get a better look, relieved that the injury to his neck wasn't deep enough to be life threatening. Karai let her eyes trail up as she unwrapped some gauze she kept on her person, letting him bring his head back down so she could get a better look at his face.

"Ran into my _brothers_."

Inwardly she smiled at the tone, the sheer loathing was telling enough but she chose to remain silent as she carefully held the gauze over his eye.

"Leo says I'm a traitor." Raph growled, slamming a fist down on the chair. "Kicked me out of the family, and Donnie..." He trailed off, fingering something under the material of his belt.

"Leonardo fears you because of what you would take from him."

Raphael's right eye opened and she could see the confusion in it. "Your leadership is far superior to his own, and he fears this. It would mean loosing Splinter's favor."

Karai had learned quickly that stroking his ego often got her better results. Not that it wasn't true. Raphael was proving to be an excellent leader, something she personally had not expected. He showed an eagerness to learn and was decent at strategy, though he still preferred to 'wing it' and improvise. If only she could get him to reign in his temper and stop storming out without backup. Getting him to pick his personal guards would also alleviate her unease, but he was being ridiculously stubborn over the matter and kept insisting that he didn't need them.

She frowned when blood began to seep through the gauze, clearly it was more serious and in need of better tending than what she could offer. "Hold it in place, we need to get you to the medical ward." She said, pulling her hand away once he brought his own, noting a slight tremor as he did so. He was in more pain than he was outwardly expressing.

Raphael rose and she took his arm gently, feeling him tense as she did so. He shot her a dark look but didn't argue as she helped him navigate so he wouldn't bump into anything. All she needed to worry about now was wether he was going to listen to the medic or not.

oooooooooo

"This news troubles me greatly." Splinter said, sroking at his chin.

"I'm certain Raphael will see reason and return to us soon." Leo replied, taking a sip of the tea his father had prepared.

The elderly rat closed his eyes, ears falling back slightly. "Raphael's mind is a dark place, tempered only by his overwhelming passion to protect." Splinter mused, opening his eyes again and gazing at his student. "If he looses his way, if he stops listening to his heart it could be disastrous. For both him and this family."

Leonardo looked down as his cup, swirling the contents as he did so, worry rearing its head and a chill running up his spine. "H-Have I made a mistake, Sensei?" He asked, looking up at the aging master.

"Words can cut deeper than the sharpest of blades, Leonardo." Splinter admonished gently, reaching out and placing a warm paw on his shoulder when he saw fear flicker in the dark depths. "Only time will tell."


	7. Chapter 6

Raphael had been injured often, sometimes enough to be at death's doorstep. This was possibly the most irritating injury he'd ever had to deal with. Not being able to see out of one eye would have been annoying enough, but manageable. The medic had instead chosen to cover both eyes so he wouldn't be able to look around and further injure it. Being deprived of his sight not only made him feel vulnerable, but also left him nothing to do but think. After only two days he'd been bored enough to actually sit his ass down and meditate, not exactly an activity he enjoyed but it was _something _he could do. Of course the old turtle luck was true to form and no sooner had he finally managed to focus that he'd felt the familiar presence of his father. He hadn't even bothered to wait and sense wether his father was disappointed with him before he'd stopped his meditation short.

When Karai wasn't attending to the needs of the Clan or doing a mission for him she was at his side. If she wasn't, one of his foot soldiers would always be present to keep him company. It was always the same one and it was now, on the last day of his forced week of blindness, that he realized he didn't even know him.

"Never did ask for your name."

"Arashi, Master Shredder."

"Well, thanks for stickin' around." He muttered, crossing his arms over his armored chest. "Some leader I'm turning out ta be."

"It is of the highest honor to serve you, Kishin, regardless of the circumstances."

Karai had been teaching him Japanese over the many months he'd been here as well as helping him with abandoning his accent, even more in the last week to keep him occupied, but this word he didn't know. Raphael was about to ask what it meant when there was a knock at the door. He snapped his mouth shut and managed a passable attempt at a glare in the general direction of the door. He heard Arashi head over to answer, purposefully making noise so Raphael knew where he was. There was some quick conversation between Arashi and the newcomer before the door was closed and he returned to Raphael's side.

"It is time for these bandages to come off." Raphael did a quick feel when something was placed in his hands, confirming that it was his helmet. "The medic has requested it be done in the medical ward."

Raphael slipped the helmet on, even if it was a bit of a tight fit with the bandages in place. A quick adjustment by Arashi told him he'd probably put it on wrong, not that he could see what he was doing anyway. He got up and Arashi carefully guided him, but unlike Karai he didn't cling to his arm and only prodded him towards the direction he needed to go, otherwise letting him navigate on his own. This he was grateful for since he hated being vulnerable, more so when it was glaringly apparent. The sound of the automatic doors of the medical ward alerted him that they'd reached their destination, thankfully with no awkward accidents on the way. Even with someone guiding him as he sat down, Raph still did so slowly.

The helmet was removed, then someone tilted his head up slightly and began to remove the bandages around his neck. Once done with that the medic ran his fingers where the blade had cut him, putting some pressure as he did to make sure there was no lingering pain. "There's a scar, but it's healed nicely."

Raph felt those hands begin to remove the ones around his head that covered his eyes. "Someone dim the lights, his eyes will be sensitive." There was a short pause before the remainder of the bandages were removed, then the gauze that had been taped over the left eye to keep it shut was carefully peeled away. Though he'd been through this several times so the medic could tend the injury and replace his bandages, the entire process still annoyed him.

"Very well, you can open your eyes, slowly."

Raphael did as he was told and began to open them, but even with the lights dimmed it was still uncomfortable. He didn't notice Karai suddenly give the medic an alarmed glance before moving closer to him.

"How do they feel?" She asked, giving him a weary look that he didn't like very much.

"Weird." Raphael replied, not really sure what to make of the situation. He wasn't sure if it was the look in her eyes or something else, but he couldn't deny that something was wrong.

The medic stepped closer to him, tilting his head to get a better look at his left eye. Eventually he frowned and stepped back again. "Close your right eye and follow my hand with your left."

Raphael did as instructed, but the moment his right eye was closed he couldn't see anything. "Is this normal?" He asked, his grip on the chair increasing.

"What is the matter?" Karai asked and he felt her fingers brush the left side of his face.

"I can't see anything." He rumbled, feeling a twist in his gut as he said so.

"Do you see blurry shapes and colors or nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

There was a tense silence afterwards and he could imagine everyone looking at the medic. He opened his right eye and glanced around, confirming his suspicions and the medic seemed to fidget uncomfortably.

"Explain." Karai ordered, placing a hand on his arm as she did so.

"Corneal scarring. I'd hoped it wasn't severe enough to cause lasting damage." The medic replied, crossing his arms and looking pensively at Raphael. "Obviously I was wrong, though you're still quite lucky."

Raphael glanced sharply at Karai. "Get me something to see with." He barked, turning his attention back to the medic even as she hurried across the room. "I don't see how this is lucky." He snarled, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, you could have ended up with no eye at all."

"Oh sure, because not bein' able ta see out of it is any better."

The medic said nothing at this as Karai came over to him once more, holding something akin to a mirror and handing it to him. Raphael snatched it from her and brought it up, tilting it this way and that until he found a comfortable angle. Although it was still possible to make out the piercing yellow of his eye, it was milked over as though a white film had been placed over it.

"I think I have an eyepatch lying around somewhere you can cover it up with." He heard the medic say and he casually handed the mirror to him. "I can also do some research and see if I can reverse the damage."

"No."

"N-No?"

Raphael got up and headed towards the door. "Leave it."

"Wait! At least let me give you some drops to put in it." The medic said, hurrying to a cabinet and taking something from inside before returning again. "Eyes take longer to heal fully, put these twice a day until I tell you otherwise."

He glanced at the bottle in his hand, frowning as he slipped it under the red fabric of his belt. "Fine, Karai come with me."

Raphael didn't wait as he left the medical ward, turning sharply and storming down the corridor with Karai hurrying to remain at his side. "Was your mission a failure?" He asked, glancing sideways at her.

"No, in fact it was a great success."

"Then why didn't you report?" Raphael growled, glaring at her.

"I didn't feel it was appropriate while you were recovering."

Raphael narrowed his eyes and looked where he was going again, only just managing to avoid walking into one of the display pedestals along the corridor that hadn't seen. "Don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Master." She said, stepping nimbly away from him so he wouldn't bump into her. "I eventually came across your brothers at Miss O'Neil's place."

At this Raph glanced over to her for a moment before returning his attention ahead again. "Were they...talking about me?"

"They were." She replied softly, giving him an almost apologetic glance.

Raphael stopped in his tracks and Karai did the same and he watched as a small group of foot soldiers walked past, only stopping long enough to give him a bow and inform them that there was no trouble before continuing their patrol. "Go on."

For a moment she studied him before lowering her eyes to the helmet she was holding. "I could not catch the entire conversation, but it was enough." She began, looking at him once more. "They are happy...without you."

Raphael sighed and turned his head away, looking at the grey bowl on the display nearby. It had once been broken, but had since been repaired in an art form Karai said was called kintsugi. At first he had thought it was stupid to keep broken things around, but eventually they'd grown on him. Sometimes at night when he wasn't able to sleep he walked the halls and looked at the various things on display; his favorite being this very bowl. Carefully he lifted it from it's dais so he could better look at it, turning so he could examine every repaired crack. No matter how often he looked at it, he never got bored of this one.

"Leonardo knew it was you, says you deserved what he did."

Raphael put the bowl back down a little harder than intended. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply like Karai was teaching him to try and keep his temper under control. Only once he wasn't looking did Karai reach out and quietly moved the bowl so it was in the center, rather than part of its base hanging over the edge in a precarious position. Though he seemed calm about the matter of his blinded eye, that was by far no indicator. If Karai had learned anything it was that Raphael's temper was on a short fuse and it was nearly impossible to tell what would light it.

He opened his eyes again and looked at her, reaching out and taking the helmet so he could put it on. It was rare for him to wear it within the tower, a habit she was beginning to think he would never grow out of. The hurt in his gaze hadn't escaped her notice and she followed in silence as they continued. It was only once they entered the engineering section that Raphael broke the silence, clearing his throat to get someones attention.

"Master Shredder!" Chaplin exclaimed, giving him a swift bow. "How may I be of service?"

"Have you finished what I asked for?"

"Yes, I've drawn up a few concepts." Chaplin answered, picking up several sheets of paper and walking over to deposit them on a nearby table, pushing aside some wayward pieces as he did so.

Raphael sat down and went through each of them one by one. Occasionally he would give an approving nod and set one of the blueprints aside before continuing with his perusal.

"Can you combine some of these together?" Raphael asked, glancing up to regard the scientist.

"Given enough time and the proper modifications nothing is impossible."

"I want these two combined then." He rumbled, pushing two of the blueprints forward and pointing at the gauntlets. "Both retractable, but I want them working separately." Raphael glanced at him then looking at them again once he received a confirming nod. "I want two chains inside this, similar to my Nightwatcher manriki but with a more bladed end. Make it so they don't catch in the cape." He continued, pointing at a modification meant for the shell covering.

"You won't be disappointed."

"Good, let me know once you have everything figured out." He said, getting up from the table. "The blades I'll forge myself, I have a pair of sai just waiting to be melted down." He snarled as he turned to make his way to the door. "Karai, I'll be in my room. Don't bother me unless it's an emergency."

"As you command."

Both watched him exit the room even as Chaplin began to jot down notations on the two blueprints. "You realize you're playing with fire lying to him like this." He mumbled, giving her a sideways glance.

"His family is a liability." Karai replied, looking with interest at his notations. "They jeopardize Sato and Oshi's vision and all they have done in preparation for his return. Raphael will bring about a new world order, with him as its ruler and the Foot as his trusted enforcers." She said, turning on her heels and walking to the door. "If I must play with fire to pave the way for his ascension, then so be it."

Chaplin continued to stare a few moments after she left before shaking his head and looking down at his sketch. "Right, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with your own personal vision." He muttered to himself as he sat down, tongue sticking out as he continued sketching. "I don't want to be in the same building if he finds out."


	8. Chapter 7

Karai strode through the corridors of the tower, most she met moving out of her way. Things as of late were not going in her favor, and it was apparent to the men she'd once led and they knew better than to cross her. She swiftly entered the control room, stopping to stand beside the men sitting at the consoles, watching the images on the security cameras.

"Double the patrols around the perimeter, no one comes inside without our knowledge."

"Do you expect trouble?" Arashi asked, turning his head to look at her.

"Perhaps. Leonardo has been snooping about and our Master does not wish to speak to any of his former family." Karai answered, crossing her arms. "We must take the necessary precautions, as our sworn duty to him commands of us."

Arashi gave a curt nod. "As the Kishin wishes."

Karai didn't linger as she turned on her heels and left the room, completely missing the look of suspicion that crossed the young man's features before he turned and resumed his watch, tossing orders to have the patrols doubled.

Usually finding Raphael was rather difficult at times, though lately he'd been staying in the library. Possibly because the room was silent, simply because not many ever visited it. As expected she found him there, sitting at the table staring at the window across from him. She said nothing as she regarded him from the doorway until eventually she frowned when he grimaced and brought a hand up to his head with a soft hiss.

"Another headache?" She asked, moving to stand behind him and bringing her hands up to his temples to rub soothing circles.

A confirming hum was all she got for an answer as he leaned back, letting his head rest against her as she massaged his head.

"Have you put any drops in your eye today, as the medic told you?" She asked, gently continuing with her ministration.

"No."

Karai sighed and made to slip the small bottle from his belt but he was quick to shove her hand away. With a frown she moved around, pulling out one of the other chairs to sit in.

"Not following the medic's recommendations could lead to infection and loosing your eye."

"Whatever."

"This does not bother you?"

Raphael glared at her with a snarl. "Why the fuck should it bother me?" He shouted, getting up so quickly the chair fell to the floor. "I can't see out of the damn thing anyway, it's fucking useless!"

Karai brought a hand to her head in frustration. "The complications of loosing it are not worth it, you know this." She answered, watching Raphael as he paced like a caged animal.

"Fuck!" Raphael kicked the chair on the floor, sending it splintering against one of the bookshelves. "Stop tellin' me what ta do, Leo!" He yelled as he turned towards her.

A look of pity settled on her features as she regarded him, and she could see the moment reality came crashing down on him. Raphael grimaced and turned his back to her, moving to one of the windows and leaning his arm against the frame as he looked outside.

"I wish I'd never said yes." He muttered, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Karai rose from her seat and padded to his side, resting a hand on one of his arms. "You do not mean that."

Raphael shrugged her off without moving from his position, still looking across the city. "I said yes so I could protect my family, so you wouldn't find someone who'd want to hunt them down like animals." He mumbled, closing his eyes. "Now...I don't even have a family." He finished hoarsely.

"You have us." Karai whispered softly, reaching out and touching his arm again.

He didn't reply, keeping his eyes closed as she gently rubbed his arm. As much as he wanted to shrug her off again, he couldn't deny he needed the comforting touch. They both remained silent as the minutes ticked by, until eventually he opened his eyes again.

Tentatively she reached up and cupped the side of his face. "Look at me."

Raphael resisted for only a few moments before he turned his head to look at her.

"It is your destiny to lead the Foot, you are why the Clan was created."

"There you go with that nonsense again." He grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I never had anything to do with the creation of the Foot, that was Ch'rell's doing."

"You are wrong. My father only took control of the Clan, its creation was your doing." Karai answered, lowering her hand once more. "There was much convincing involved, but eventually he poured his efforts into discovering which of you four was mentioned in the ancient tome, and it was my idea that if something were to happen to him that I would hand over the Clan to you."

Raphael frowned at this, eyeing her skeptically. "What tome?"

"The one that details our entire history." She replied, motioning towards the center of the room. "In the glass casing."

He'd noticed the old tome, but hadn't given it more than a cursory glance. Raphael raised an eye ridge at her before making his way over to the casing. An expert in books he wasn't, but even he could tell it was old.

"You're sure I'm mentioned in this?"

"Not by name, simply as the Kishin." Karai answered, eyeing the tome. "Perhaps you have forgotten, but I am confident you will remember once you read it."

Raphael was skeptical still, but he couldn't deny that some things felt familiar. For one, Karai had spoken about Sato and Oshi a few times and both of them gave him a sense of familiarity despite not being able to remember why. Sato in particular, it was almost like how he'd felt with Casey, like an old buddy. What was possibly the strangest though, was Kishin. He didn't know the word at all, yet somehow it was familiar. Raphael grasped the glass casing for a few moments but didn't lift it. What would he find inside? Answers or just more questions?

"Master Shredder!"

Raph's head jerked in the direction of the entrance. "What is it, Arashi?"

"Your guest has arrived."

An eye ridge raised quizzically at this. "Guest?"

"I took the liberty of sending for one of our greatest warriors from Japan." Karai explained, smiling at him. "He is missing an eye, yet he fights like none other. I believe his teachings would benefit you."

Raph's eyes narrowed a little but he looked in Arashi's direction again. "Escort him here."

Arashi gave a deep bow before taking three steps back then turning and disappearing down the hall.

Raphael easily towered over Karai as he turned, the tome forgotten. "Next time, you bring this shit up with me!" He snapped, angrily jabbing a finger at her shoulder.

"Forgive me." Karai answered hastily, averting her eyes and lowering her head. "I meant only to help your recovery."

She gasped when he grabbed her chin in an almost bruising grip, forcing her head up to look at him. "I'm in charge, and I'm not going to tolerate you doing shit behind my back." He snarled, bringing his face closer to her's. "Have I made myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, Master." She said, averting her gaze in an act of submission.

Raphael let her go, turning towards the door in time to see Arashi and the newcomer entering the library.

"Kishin!" The newcomer exclaimed, instantly dropping to his knees and pressing his forehead to the ground.

He frowned and looked at Karai. "The book will explain everything." She offered quietly, still not lifting her gaze. "Back in Japan, you are a legend. Your return to the Clan was foretold, by Sato and Oshi."

Raphael crossed his arms, looking pensively at the tome. It was a few moments later that he realized the man on the floor had yet to rise from his position.

"Arashi, find our guest a room so he can get settled in." He ordered, eyeing the man on the floor with a frown. "Once that's done, show him around the tower."

"Hai!"

The man got to his feet but kept a low bow as he hurriedly followed Arashi, only turning his back and straightening once he'd left the room.

"He better not act like this all the time." He grumbled, finally setting his attention on the tome again as he lifted the glass, carefully setting it aside.

Raphael made his way back to the table he'd been sitting at, tome in hand, and pulled another chair out so he could sit down. He drummed his fingers on the table as he eyed Karai before pulling out the small bottle from his belt and setting it on the table.

"I can't put them in myself, my damn fingers are too big. Most of it ends up all over the place instead of my eye." He muttered, glaring at the tiny bottle as if he wanted it to catch fire.

Karai gave a soft sigh and made her way over, picking up the small bottle and removing the cap. "Is this what this is all about, you didn't want to ask for help?" She stood behind him once more and pulled his chin up so the top of his head was resting against her. "My duty is to you, wether it be something as simple as this or be your shield and take a blade in your stead. You need but ask." Karai continued, squeezing a few drops onto his eye.

Raphael gave a relieved sigh as the cool drops fell into his eye, blinking so they would coat all of it. "Damn that feels good, it's been burning like hell." He explained, pulling away and opening the tome. "Now go, I've got some reading to do."

"Do not read too long, you should be giving your eye time to adjust to such strenuous tasks." Karai set the small bottle back on the table as she made her way around it.

Raphael lifted his gaze slowly to her as he turned the page. "Leave." He said, voice dropping to a low rumble.

Karai gave him a hasty bow and hurried from the room, the last thing she wanted was for him to have an outburst like the previous one.


	9. Chapter 8

Leonardo didn't wait for the hidden entrance to close before he made his way to his father's room, carefully closing the shoji behind him before making his way to his appointed tatami mat.

"Did you speak with Raphael?"

Leonardo closed his eyes with a sigh, lowering his head. "No Sensei, Karai says he refuses to see us."

The old rat's ears flattened back at this. "This troubles me greatly, my son." Splinter rose and paced slowly, deep in thought. "The longer this rift between us lingers, the harder the walls around his heart will be to tear down." He looked towards him again. "Until they can no longer be breached by anyone...even himself."

"I don't think she's told him."

"If this is true then Karai is playing a dangerous game." Splinter stroked his small beard, eyeing Leonardo pensively. "A few criminals met their demise at the Nightwatcher's hands. Mercy was not something he practiced during your absence, nor will he now."

"In self-defense?" Leonardo ventured, eyeing his father even as a shiver ran up his spine. "Right?"

"No, those who preyed on the innocent." Splinter explained, ears flat again. "However, killing with the sole purpose to avenge the fallen eventually warps one's perspective until they become no better than the ones they hunt." Splinter closed his eyes, shoulders slumping. "A wheel long set in motion has nearly reached its destination, but quick action may yet steer it towards a lighter path."

"Are you saying this was meant to happen?" Leonardo queried, not missing the implication behind his words.

Splinter opened his eyes to regard him again. "Speak with Donatello, his thoughts are troubled. Once he is rested, you will all come here and I will tell you something that I should have much sooner." He turned his back to Leonardo to gaze at the tapestry on the wall.

"Yes, Sensei."

Leonardo rose from his place, giving a bow to his father even though his back was turned. It was with a heavy heart that he looked back in the room as he closed the shoji, seeing his father lift the Nightwatcher helmet from the shelf below the tapestry. Splinter slowly ran a paw across the top as if he were soothing a child, murmuring words that Leonardo couldn't make out no matter how much he strained to hear.

With a sigh he made his way towards the kitchen. "Has he come out at all?"

"Donnie the recluse?" Mikey asked, scratching at the table with a finger. "Not a toe."

Leonardo eyed the lab door. "Cook something he likes."

Mikey gave him a dubious look. "I've tried that already."

"He'll come out this time."

"I'll clean the dojo if you manage to get him out of there."

Leonardo smiled at him before petting the top of his head. "Careful, I might just take you up on that offer."

Mikey chuckled as he got up, moving to stand at the stove as he tapped his chin thoughtfully until a grin split his face and he gave Leonardo a thumbs up before moving around and pulling out stuff he needed. Leonardo knocked on the door before going in, but all he got for his trouble was a quick glance before Donatello's attention returned to his laptop.

Leonardo moved closer, eyes straying to his lap where Raphael's mask was. "I installed a few extra cameras."

"I noticed." Donatello offered in a clipped tone.

"The patrols were increased, I wasn't able to put all of them." Leonardo continued, ignoring the abrasiveness. "It was too risky."

"It's sufficient." Donatello replied tersely, eyes narrowed at the screen. "You can leave." Leonardo crossed his arms defiantly and Donatello glared as he got up from his seat. "Get out."

Narrowed grey eyes and squared shoulders were Leonardo's response, showing he wasn't going to leave unless forced out. For several minutes the two stared at each other, neither willing to give any ground until Donatello eventually closed his eyes and sank back down in his chair, rubbing at his temples.

"Go eat something and get some sleep." Leonardo offered, moving closer and putting a hand on his shoulder. "You've been neglecting yourself."

"Someone has to keep an eye on the security cameras." Donatello pulled his mask down to rub at his eyes, giving Leonardo a glimpse of the dark circles that were normally hidden.

"That's a weak argument and you know it, any of us can do that." Leonardo reached out and turned Donatello's chair so he was facing him again, setting both hands on his shoulders. "What is this really about?"

Donatello just lowered his head and stared at the mask in his lap and after a few minutes of continued silence Leonardo knelt on the floor, gazing imploringly up at him. "Don't shut me out, talk to me."

What he didn't expect was for him to shoot to his feet, nearly knocking him over as he started to pace around, Raphael's mask held in a tight fist.

"Where would you like me to start exactly?" Donatello snapped at him and Leonardo chose to remain silent and let him vent, getting to his feet once more. "That I hurt Raph more than all of you combined ever could have? Because I allowed myself to overreact?" Donatello stopped his tirade and rested his palms on the desk. "I promised I'd never judge him, be there when he needed to talk and I just ripped his heart out and stomped all over it." He closed his eyes with a sigh. "I messed up."

Leonardo moved forward, pulling his brother a tight hug. "That's not true."

"He won't even talk to us." Donatello mumbled into the crook of his neck. "If I hadn't-"

Leonardo pulled away and cupped his face. "Listen to me." When Donatello didn't give any sign he was going to keep talking Leonardo continued. "I'm the one that kicked him out, not you. I'm as much to blame." Donatello was about to say something when Leonardo cut him off. "He doesn't know we want to talk to him. Karai's making sure of that."

"You really think so?" Donatello asked and Leonardo didn't miss the hope lacing his voice.

"I do and I promise as long as there's something left inside him to save, I won't stop until he's back with us where he belongs." Leonardo replied, brushing a thumb across the darkened skin. "Now, go eat something and get some rest. Master Splinter wants to talk to us later."

Donatello's eyes trailed over to regard his laptop. "I'll keep watch." Leonardo offered when he saw where Donatello was looking, moving over to sit on the chair. "You'll be the first one I get if there's any sign of him."

For a moment Donatello was silent as he regarded his brother. Eventually he left his lab, closing the door behind him. The smell of food hit him and his stomach grumbled furiously, making him realize just how hungry he really was. When was the last time he'd eaten anyway? Mikey beamed when he saw him, waving at the table with a spatula. Donatello sat down where he normally did, his mind wandering again until he was jolted out of his thoughts when Mikey suddenly put a plate in front of him.

"French toast with Nutella spread, just the way you like them."

"Thank you, Mikey." Donatello said, eyeing the food with a raised eye ridge. "Don't think I can eat all of this though."

"The official garbage disposal will take care of whatever's left." Mikey replied, resting his chin on his hands with a grin.

Donatello actually laughed at that. "I still don't know where you put it all."

Mikey just gave a shrug. "Some mysteries aren't meant to be solved, bro."

Donatello just hummed at that as he began to eat his food. His thoughts strayed, as they often did of late, to Raph as he ate and it wasn't until his fork screeched across his empty plate that he realized he'd eaten all of it.

A sheepish look was thrown towards Mikey. "Guess I was hungrier than I thought."

"I can make more."

"No, I'm all right."

Mikey got up and took his plate, depositing it in the sink before turning back to him with a serious look. "Time for a warm shower to help you relax and then I'll give you a nice massage."

Donatello quirked an eye ridge at this. "Isn't that Leo's area of expertise?"

"You wound me!" Mikey took a step back, bringing a hand over his heart. "I've been practicing. Pretty good now, if I do say so myself." Mikey finished, waggling his eye ridges with a smug grin.

"Ah, so Leo's been teaching you." Donatello pointed out with a small grin of his own.

"Yeah, that too." Mikey replied with a warm chuckle, before making shooing motions. "Shower time!"

"All right, I'm going."

Mikey leapt over the back of the couch, grabbing the remote and switching the televisions on. It was only once the door closed and he heard the water running that he finally let his cheerful composure slip, muting the televisions and dropping the remote onto the table. Normally he'd have a wrestling match with Raph over who got dibs tonight. Sometimes his older brother would win and other times he'd grumble about nothing being on and toss him the remote before going a few rounds with his punching bag or heading topside to bust heads. He waited with both arms draped over the back of the couch until the shower turned off before getting up and heading in its direction, plastering his best smile as he did.

"Okay, off to bed you go." Mikey grinned, making more shooing motions at him once he came out.

Donatello eyed the televisions for a moment. "You're going to miss your show."

Mikey looked over his shoulder before giving a shrug. "Naw, I've seen this episode like twenty times already."

Donatello shook his head at that. "Somehow, I'm not surprised." He sent over his shoulder as he went up the stairs, with Mikey following him like an obedient puppy.

Once in his room Donatello made for his bed while Mikey closed the door.

"Okay bro, lie down."

Donatello did as he was told and felt Mikey sit beside him on the bed and moments later Mikey's fingers dug into his shoulders, working at the neglected muscles. An appreciative moan had Mikey grinning and he continued for several minutes until he leaned over to find Donnie with his eyes closed. The youngest waited several more minutes to make sure his brother had indeed fallen asleep before he carefully got off the bed, eyeing the covers with a frown. Moving Donnie now would probably wake him and he wasn't willing to risk it. Mikey hurried out of the room and into his own to grab one of his blankets, returning to Donnie's room and neatly tucking it around his slumbering brother. Mikey leaned down and gave Donnie's forehead a quick kiss, carefully easing Raph's mask out of his grip as he did. Folding it neatly, Mikey rubbed his thumb across the material before placing it on Donatello's bedside table. Mikey quietly closed the door and made his way back downstairs, heading into Donatello's lab without bothering to knock.

Leo glanced at him from where he was sitting. "How'd it go?"

"Sleeping like a log."

"That's good." I was starting to think I'd have to resort to pressure points." Leo glanced at the laptop before looking at Mikey again. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm good." When Leo gave him a skeptical look he gave him a smile. "I miss him, but I'm not gonna let it get me down. Raph will show up eventually, he just needs time to cool off and think about everything. He's always needed more time to sort out his feelings than we do."

"It's times like these when your optimism is a godsend, Mikey."

"Need anything before I head to bed?" Mikey asked with a smirk. "I'm going to need all my beauty sleep before I tackle the dojo tomorrow."

Leonardo shook his head at that with a smirk. "No, I'll call if I need anything."

Mikey left the lab with a wave and made his way to his room, too distracted to notice the dark shadow silently following him. Once he was safely inside he threw himself on his bed, burying his face in his pillow moments before the first sob shook him. The door opened silently and the shadow snuck into the room, sitting on the bed and reaching out to touch Mikey's head. A startled yelp escaped him and he rolled swiftly to face none other than Splinter sitting on his bed, eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine Master Splinter, I just...got some dust in my eyes." Mikey offered quickly, scrubbing at his eyes in a vain attempt to stop crying.

"Michelangelo, your actions towards your brothers is admirable but you don't need to keep up the appearance with me." Splinter reached out and wiped at the tears. "Sometimes the sun must hide behind rain clouds so that it may shine all the brighter the coming day." He finished, spreading his arms invitingly.

Mikey's lower lip quivered for a moment before he threw himself at him, burying his face in his father's warm fur as he'd done as a child. Splinter rested his chin on Mikey's head as his youngest sobbed onto his chest, willing his own pain away for the time being.


	10. Chapter 9

Raphael sighed in contentment as the warm water cascaded over him, and bowed his head under the spray. Memories had come crashing down on him while reading the tome, like a torrent of water when a dam broke. The sudden rush had left him feeling overwhelmed so he'd retreated to his room, deciding a calming shower would help sooth his troubled mind. No such luck, all he'd done since was let his mind drift. After one of Renet's failed attempts at using the time scepter Raphael had ended up in Feudal Japan; alone. Good old turtle luck had decided to dump him on his head upon arrival and it had been lights out. He'd woken up to two men talking animatedly over him, in Japanese no less. Thankfully the pair were decent enough in english, coupled with his mediocre grasp of Japanese, he'd managed to understand most of their tale.

The two of them had been searching far and wide for a solution against the constant attacks on their village. Just when they'd lost all hope the heavens had torn open above them and dropped him right at their feet. Raphael had no idea where his brothers were and so had decided to follow them to their village, hoping to discover their whereabouts in the process. The first few days had been spent watching them ply their craft while asking about others like him. Everyone in the village helped one another, living in a kind of harmony that he'd found soothing. Even the children helped with easier tasks. They'd been remarkably accepting of his presence and he'd found himself helping them with some of the heavier labor after realizing none of his brothers had been sent with him. During that time he'd also grown closer to the two who found him. Oshi was a quiet fellow who preferred to work and observe in silence, reminding him of Leonardo. Sato brought to mind Casey, though a much more polite version of him. It was probably why he'd preferred his company over Oshi's.

Nearing the end of his first week with them was when the attack came, catching the villagers unprepared. It was chaos, and Raphael had done what he could to try to guide them to safety. One woman he'd been ushering inside a nearby building had shoved him aside and when he'd rounded on her to ask what her problem was his words had never come. An arrow had lodged in her throat and he'd caught her before her legs gave way, carrying her inside. She'd died in his arms before he even had the chance to set her down. Rage was something Raphael knew well and in that moment he'd embraced that familiar red haze, rushing out of the building with a battle cry that sent a few men scrambling to flee from him. They'd been the first to fall, but not the last. Raphael didn't remember much of the battle but at some point Sato and Oshi had joined him, grabbing whatever weapons they'd been able to get their hands on. Sato had run ahead, whirling a manriki he'd pilfered from amongst the fallen. Oshi had followed him, doing his best to keep the other man safe having assumed, rightly so, that it was best to stay away from Raphael.

Eventually the attacking force had sounded a retreat and fled back the way they'd come. Raphael had remained mostly unharmed, except for a few arrows that had found their mark, and most of the blood covering him had been from his enemies. Sato had been the one to remove the arrows and tend to his injuries while Oshi helped the villagers. Raphael had remained by the woman's side the rest of the day. From what Sato had told him, Ume was a selfless woman who did all she could for them and asked for nothing in return. Only a week with them and she'd already willingly sacrificed herself for his safety. Once she'd been buried, Raphael had placed a few plum blossoms on her grave, a symbolic gesture on his part. He'd taken it upon himself to care for her orphaned son, his father stricken down by sickness the previous year. Teaching Sato and Oshi the way of the ninja had been his top priority afterwards, along with anyone else who'd been willing to learn.

Then one fateful day he'd taken the two with him on a journey, not knowing where he was going other than feeling a pull and he'd followed. At one point he'd rounded onto a trail leading up into the mountains and had bumped into Renet, who'd instantly taken him back to his time period before he could stop her. Sato and Oshi had seen a flash of light, according to the tome, and hurried around the corner but he'd vanished without a trace. The two had meditated at the place of his disappearance and received a vision of his return, this time wearing the armor he did now. It was in his honor that the symbol had been chosen, and had featured prominently in the centuries to come. His own actions tampering with the timeline coupled with Renet's lingering magic had more than likely been the cause of the visions, but they'd played a pivotal role in the formation of the clan. Raphael had been shocked to learn he'd been in Japan a little over a year, even though only a few moments had gone by in his own timeline.

From there they'd become the most powerful and successful warriors and assassins. Sato and Oshi had led the clan together, wearing modified versions of his future armor. As for his own, they'd forged it with their own hands, enshrining it and having it guarded day and night. Offerings were made to him before any missions, believing that he would grant them his blessing. Ume's son had eventually left on a pilgrimage several years later, declaring that he would not return until he was found. They never saw him again and it was assumed he had died. Another lovely failure to add to his apparent mountain of them. Not only had he promised to care for the youth and then vanished without a trace, but the kid had left to find him and never come back. Raphael sighed and leaned his forehead against the tiles as he turned off the water, asking Ume for her forgiveness as he did. A year with them and he'd almost completely forgotten about them, and couldn't help but blame Renet for that since he never would have willingly done so. They'd become family after all. In one year they'd made him feel more welcomed than his brothers ever had in his entire life. Not a single person had told him his temper was a fault, instead they'd embraced and learned from it, focusing his fury in ways that he envied. All his family had ever done was berate him for it.

Raphael finally stepped out and dried himself with a nearby towel before picking up the outfit he'd left on the counter, examining the clan symbol more thoroughly than he'd ever done before. It did seem like a stylized sai, now that he knew where the inspiration had come from. Done putting on the ensemble he tucked the tanto into his obi before strapping a metal sheath with a spring-loaded blade on his forearm and letting the sleeve hide it from view. Satisfied he stood in front of the vanity, moving his hand over the steam covered mirror so he could see himself. Without thinking he traced the scar over his left eye, tilting his head to examine its path down his neck. A little deeper and Leonardo would have fatally wounded him. None of them had tried to contact him since, and worse, Karai had found a few cameras hidden near the tower in key locations that were perfect for an ambush. Karai believed it was Bishop's doing, but Raphael had recognized Donatello's handiwork the moment he saw them. That was information he kept to himself. Donatello would notice that a few spy cams had been disabled, but that couldn't be helped. They were under strict orders to keep an eye open for them and take note of their location rather than remove them.

The ones already in his possession had been brought to Chaplin, with the hopes the clever man would be able to find the location of the rest somehow. The redhead may not have been as intelligent as his brother, but had access to the best technology money could buy and was incredibly passionate about his work. One way or another Chaplin would get him the results he wanted, that was something he knew for certain. The modifications to his armor had proven that, and Chaplin had far surpassed his expectations. He'd been telling himself that Karai had lied to him about his family, though he hadn't been able to quite ignore the lingering doubt in the back of his mind. More and more he found himself believing her. Not a single word from them and now strategically placed cameras? All they'd had to do was tell Karai they wanted to talk, he would have been willing to hear them out. So long as they didn't do anything to harm his men or the clan he would turn a blind eye to their activities. He was certain if he kept a civil front that Leonardo would at least tolerate the Foot's presence in the city. As for what happened behind the scenes, well, that wasn't any of their business.

Finding Karai standing by his bed when he opened the door was no surprise and he didn't even glance at her as he passed by, sitting on the edge. Raphael had given up trying to care for his eye, even after the medic had given him a larger bottle and Karai had taken it upon herself to do so for him. Karai tilted his head back and squeezed a few drops onto his eye, realizing too late she'd put a few too many. When he lowered his head again the excess slid down his cheek and she cupped the side of his face, thumbing the stray drop away.

Karai's gaze traveled to his waist and she walked her fingers across the tanto. "I see you have finally chosen to take your safety seriously."

"It's that or keep having to listen to you bitch and moan about it all the time." Raphael grumbled, crossing his arms. "This way you'll hopefully shut up."

A smirk showed Karai was unperturbed by his answer, even amused by it. "Perhaps if I persist you will pick your Elites?"

"Or I could just cut out your tongue." Raphael fired back without missing a beat. "That would work too."

Karai's eyes snapped quickly to him in shock and Raphael schooled his features to remain neutral, even though he desperately wanted to laugh at the horrified expression on her face. The pressure Karai's hand was making on the tanto made him uncomfortable since the sheath was resting over the slit of his lower plastron. Shifting his position only made it rub across it and he gripped her hand a little harder than intended, pulling it off the weapon.

"Your book is wrong about one thing." Raphael mumbled, eyeing the tome on the nightstand and Karai tilted her head in curiosity. "I'm not a God."

"Were you not in Japan centuries ago?"

"That was an accident."

Karai climbed onto the bed beside him and Raphael had half a mind to knock her off before she was lost from sight behind him. "Do not believe the lies you have been fed. Only a divine being could have lived then and now."

And they said he was stubborn! "I'm a mutant freak, a detail you like to forget."

"The accident and the mutagen spill, your very presence during that pivotal moment? All part of your plan, centuries in the making, to ensure we would recognize you when the time came."

Raphael rubbed his face in frustration. "I'm mortal, Karai."

"Of course you are, it is the only way you can live amongst us; like the Emperor." Karai made a soft noise of disgust. "Of course he is nothing but a fake."

"Then why are their three others like me? Huh?"

"Mockeries sent by your ancient enemies to trick us, nothing more..." She replied, massaging his shoulders as she did. "...and it nearly worked." Karai whispered in his ear slit, smiling when she felt him tense. "Leonardo was given your place as leader of your family, and very nearly stole my loyalty because of it." Her smile grew when Raphael growled and she pushed the fabric off his shoulder as she caressed it slowly. "Had it not been for my father's efforts, I would have been deceived." Karai trailed soft touches across his plastron as she moved to straddle his lap. "Something I fully intend to make up for." She played teasingly with his obi, giving him an alluring smile.

"Like you're giving me much of a choice." Raphael growled, glaring at her. "It's either I go along with this or I don't and you get rid of me."

Karai sighed at his accusatory tone. "My loyalty to you remains whether you accept or not." She whispered, leaning forward so her face was only inches from his. "If my advances are unwelcome then say so and I shall trouble you no more with them."

Instinctively Raphael's left hand shot out and pushed her clean off the bed before he could remind himself to use his right instead. Getting used to his ruined depth perception was taking longer than he thought it would; much longer. If there was one thing he'd never take for granted ever again it was definitely his sight. Accidents weren't frequent, considering Itsuo was often with him, but occasional mishaps still happened. Door frames seemed to take particular joy in reminding him. Raphael eyed her as she got up, thankful she'd landed in a crouch rather than on her ass.

"Your message is clear, Master." Karai gave him her usual bow, as composed as ever, as if nothing had happened. "I apologize if my actions have offended, it will not happen again."

It was only once she'd left that he snatched the tome to leaf through it quickly before tossing it over with the other book, which hadn't been there before he took his shower. Raphael snorted as he let himself rest against the headboard, eyeing the book in amusement. Karai constantly left the personnel roster where he would find it, a subtle reminder that he needed to get around to it. Raphael watched the flames dancing in the grate before getting up and moving towards the fireplace. The flames were well stoked and in no need of tending, likely Karai's doing while she'd waited for him to finish. Raphael looked up at the plaque mounted on the cladding, admiring his Purple Dragon knife. As much as he liked it, the weapon didn't really fit the image he wished to portray. Instead of getting rid of it, he'd had it mounted and hung over the fireplace as a trophy; a fond reminder of his time as Nightwatcher. As for the two guns he'd pilfered the night he'd officially joined the Clan, each was loaded and ready in their own hidden compartments should his life ever be threatened; one in his throne, the other in the bed. The likelihood of that ever happening were slim with an entire tower of patrolling ninjas, but one couldn't be too careful. Ch'rell had made many enemies during his reign and by taking his place Raphael knew he'd inherited them as well. A handful knew about the one hidden in the throne, but none did about the one in his room. Hanging out in the lab and garage helping Donatello had advantages, and it had only taken a bit of time examining the mechanism for him to make his own version for the bed.

Raphael sighed and finally looked at the real reason he'd got up in the first place. The black keepsake box sat on the mantel shelf and Raphael pulled its key from his obi, inserting it in the only Foot symbol it had. Slowly he opened the lid, the two charms resting undisturbed on the red velvet interior. He took them carefully, rubbing a thumb over one and then the other. Family was a sore spot for him of late, but none more so than Donatello. Raphael closed his hand and let it drop to his side as he leaned heavily against the fireplace, letting himself be lost in yet more memories as he stared at the flames.

Time ticked by as he stood there until his eyes narrowed and he tossed the charms into the fire before he could talk himself out of it like the other times. The paint on them bubbled from the intense heat and the flames sputtered and hissed, relentless in their assault to consume all that was offered to them. Raphael gripped the shelf tightly when they burst into flame, unable to look away. It wasn't until he couldn't tell them apart from the rest of the wood that he finally shook himself out of his trance. He took the roster as he walked past the nightstand, getting himself comfortable on the bed as he opened it to the first entry.

It was time he took care of his real family.


End file.
